＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊  Gen 41:55–57; 42:5–7a, 17–24a

When the land of Egypt began to suffer from the famine, the people came to Pharaoh for bread. But Pharaoh told all the Egyptians,    “Go to Joseph and do as he tells you.”

When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians for the famine was indeed severe over the land. As the famine had worsened throughout the whole world, people came from other countries to buy grain from Joseph.

So the sons of Israel were among those going to buy grain,   for there was famine in Canaan. It was Joseph, as governor of the land, who sold the grain to all the people. When his brother arrived they bowed before him, with their faces to the ground. Joseph recognized his brothers but did not make himself known and, instead, harshly said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they answered, “We come from the land of Canaan to buy grain for food.” And so he put them all in prison for three days.

On the third day Joseph said to them, “I will help you to save yourselves, for I am a man who fears God. If you are sincere, let one of your brothers remain prisoner in the house of the guard where you now are, and the rest of you take the grain to save your families from famine.  Then you will bring back your youngest brother; so the truth of what you say will be proved and your lives spared.” They did as they were ordered and said among themselves, “Alas! We are guilty because of the way we treated our brother when he pleaded with us for mercy,but we didn’t listen.

 That is why this trouble has come upon us.” Reuben answered them,    “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy. But you did not listen and now we are brought to account for his blood.” Now they did not know that Joseph understood them as there was an interpreter between them. As for Joseph, he withdrew and wept.     When he came back, he spoke to them and took Simeon and      had him bound and put in prison while they looked on.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

 Matthew 10: 1-7

 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him  and gave them authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew,  Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, the man who would betray him.

Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction:“Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.

“Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.”

 

Reflection gospel：

“THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.”

Being called and being sent go together in Christian discipleship, but there is another element to it, namely the very reason for being called and sent. These are the threefold element of Christian discipleship. The “call” has an accompanying thing to accomplish.

The disciples were specifically sent for a definite purpose: to proclaim the kingdom of God. This is very clear to Jesus; He is sending them for this purpose. It is also clear to the twelve that this is the object of their calling.

Jesus teaching, healing, and reconciling ministries inaugurated the reign of God. these ministries made historically concrete God’s love for all creation. The kingdom of God is God’s love reigning concretely on Earth through Jesus. Humanity had a foretaste of the fullness of creation through the healing and reconciling activities of Jesus. The kingdom of God that He began was made historically present, but not complete, that is why He called and sent the disciples. And these calling and sending extend to us, with the same purples - the kingdom of God.